Wes,
Here is part of a message I sent to Don O this morning. It is about color. How important are the colors you use in the CP's? Does close count? How did you finally come to the color combination- trial and success?
Don,
I would say the color counts though I have seen them tied with a red tail. I might of mentioned, I found the original marabou in a bargain bin, it had been dyed wrong I was told. It is close to Burnt Orange but a bit lighter in color. Wapsi dyes the perfect color.
It seems that whatever fly this marabou is used on it makes a killer fly, even on Olive buggers.
The CP is not my original fly. It was tied as a joke (long story) by a commercial tyer. The first time it was cast, I hooked up and caught 13 trout in a row before breaking off. The original chenille was made for him by Danville. It was copper and pearl tinsel chenille. This is not available commercially as far as I know. In my version, I use the Wapsi burnt orange marabou with four strands of copper Krystal flash for the tail, Copper tinsel chenille ribbed with brown or furnace hackle for the body and a gold bead head with a Fire orange thread collar. It is tied like a Woolly Bugger. I think one reason it is so effective on the White and Crooked Creek is it matches the color of the small crawdads in the rivers.
I lost the recipe write-up in my computer crash that I was to send you, the CP and some materials will be in the mail today.
Tony
Now to your questions.
I tie them on sz 8 to sz 14. I find that sz 14 do better in the summer time. Sz 12 is about the best all around size.
The original was tied with Ginger hackle and as I said below, with copper/pearl chenille. It did not have a bead head but had a Fire Orange thread head.
I am not aware that Bob ( the originator) tied them with the hackle backward. I prefer to tie with the hackle shiny side fwd. so that the hackle will lay back on the retrieve and come back up when stopped giving the fly some life like appearance.
The very first one tied was given to me on the river one day when I was fishing with Bob. It looks so gaudy and I made a remark that I will not print. That was about 8 years ago. I kept it in my box for several months till Bob convinced me to use it.
I had a thing about fishing Woolly Bubbers. No need to tell you it was my # 1 fly for several years. I finally took it out of my box because I wanted to use something else. If I had a CP in my box, I would use it. Another thing was I had to hear from others I was fishing with "you using that d-- CP again." Now I put one in my box, If I break off. I have to use something different.
Tony
Wes Wada wrote:
Tony,
I had a question about the Chili Pepper while you were gone. Got one answer, but was hoping for more...
What hook sizes, both common and extremes of large and small do you know that the Chili Pepper has been successfully tied and fished?
And a second question: the original pattern appears to be tied with ginger or furnace hackle and a burnt orange marabou tail? (I was sent a version using undyed grizzly hackle and fluorescent orange marabou tail by a friend, and it has been fishing very well.)
Also, what is the reason the original pattern is tied with the dull side of the feather facing forward?
Appreciate if you have the answers and WELCOME BACK!
Wes Wada Bend, Oregon
--
